Method of making emanation seeds



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,156

J. MUIR I METHOD OF MAKING EMANATION SEEDS Filed Nov. 15, 1925 6410: net

Patented 'Jan. 3; 192a.

UNITED Is'r'A T-ES PATEN OFFICE.

JOSEPH MUIR, or new Yoax, n. Y., ASSIGNOR 'ro rim RADIUM nmANA'rIoN-c'om :eona'rron. V, V

' METHOD OF MAKING EMANATION SEEDSi I Application filed November 13, 1925. Serial No. 65,912.

My invention relates to the production of radium emanat on'seeds or tubes. Specifically, my invention relates to the production of metal seeds or tubes which are adapted to beimplanted in biological tissue.

Radium emanation tubesor seeds have present therein radium emanation. These seeds may be composed of glass or metal which will absorb certain of the emanation rays. For example, the material of the metal seedmay be platinum, gold or silver or .alloys thereof.

v The metal seed mav have radium emanation introduced directly thereunto or beof a.

.' composite type wherein the emanation is first introduced in a glass tube and the latter is enclosed in a metal container.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood I shall refer to the drawing in which 1 Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a composite seed comprising a glass tube en- .tially upset; and,

cased in a metal tube;

Figure 2is a longitudinal cross section of the metal tube, in its initial state Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the shape;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the tube placed against a hemispherical die for the purpose of having its end upset;

Figure 5 isa longltudinalsection of the tube and die, the end of the tube beingpar- Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the tube and die, with the end of the tube completely'closed after'the final upsetting step.

The first step in producing the finished tube l as shown in Figure 1 is to place the tube in a lathe and allow it to rotate around the axis AA'. While the tube is rotating the end 2 is cut or filed to a conical s rface as indicated at 3 in Figure 3. While the tube is rotating it is brought to bear against a hemispherical die 4, or the die ,4 may be rotated and the tube held stationary, Upon applying pressure at 5 and 6 as shown in Figure 4, the conical surface 3 will tend to take the shape of the hemispherical cup j 7 of the die .4. The end of the tube upsets or bends to a position as indicated in Figure -5. On the continued application of ressure theend 2 of thetube 1 is closedta ing 4 the shape of the hemispherical cup.

After one end of the tube'is formed, the

with balls at tube having less metal at its ends than at its glass seed 8 is placed inside of the tube 1 and the open end-of the tube is closedin a snrnlar manner producing the finished seed as lIlCllCateddll Figure 1.

Referring to Fi ures 1 and 6 it will be seen that the finis ed'metal tube 1 is .of

less thickness at its end than at its inter mediate portion. Since the metal tube 1 is usually used 1n connection with a glass tube 8 having at its end glass balls 9 and 10, it is seen that I have provided a metal tube of reduced thickness at its ends'which -1s still capable of taking care of the absorption of the beta rays radiatingfrom the radium emanatiomthe glass balls 9 and 10 providing an additional glass filterage.

The composite seed herein set forth and the process of burying the same in tissue are claimed in applicants copending applica-,

tions, Serial N 0. 68,910 and No. 68,911, filed November 13, 1925.

I claim:

1. The process of making a composite radium emanation seed consisting of a glass tube containinradium emanation provided .s ends enclosed in a metal intermediate portion, comprising removing a portion of the metal on one of the ends of the metal-tube, upsetting and closing said end,

inserting a glass tube into the partially closed metal tube, and thereafter removing the metal from the open end of the metal 1 surface, insertinga glass tube in the part-ially closed metal tube and thereafter reducing the open end of the metal tube to a conical surface, and upsetting said latter conical surface to provide a closed metal tube having less metal at its ends than at its intermediate portion, capable of-absorb- 1n undesirable rays radiating from the ra ium. emanation.

' tube containing 3 The process of making a composite rad um emanation seed conslst-ingof a glass radlum emanatlon provided with balls at 1ts ends enclosed in a metal tube having less metal at its ends than at its intermediate portion,, comprising reducing one end of'the metal tube to a conical surface subjecting said conical surface to-the preliminary action of a rotating die whereby said conical surface is partlally upset, cont'inuing the action of the die to finally close said end of said tube, inserting a glass tube into-1' the partially closed metaltube. and

thereafter reducing the ,open end of the metal tube to :a conical surfaee', subfecfing' of absorbing the undesirable rays radfatlng from the radium emanation.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name hereto.

.Josnrn MUIR. 

